


hands too full and hearts too empty

by Ellinor



Category: Wizard101
Genre: ((my w101 tumblr is save-the-spiral)), Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Originally Posted on Tumblr, headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 07:56:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12907569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellinor/pseuds/Ellinor
Summary: Sometimes a spell can't be cast.That can end very badly.





	hands too full and hearts too empty

**Author's Note:**

> HI!!! I'm save-the-spiral from tumblr and I'm posting my fics/headcanons on Ao3 now!!
> 
> this is edited from the original post, but I'm gonna update the tumblr post to match it.
> 
> thanks for reading! feel free to go over to my tumblr and send me an ask! I take requests!!

Sometimes a wizard can’t cast a spell. They might have a whole deck of cards that would be more useful as paper used to start a fire. Sure we all fizzle, but this is… different. Wrong. No matter how many pips are hoarded, what blades and traps and what-have-yous the wizard has accessorized with, they cannot cast this spell.

It’s that kind of impossibility. The kind that leads to frustration and desperation and tears.

It’s all about intent. That’s how people cast spells outside of battle, like young, excitable wizards holding their parent’s first starter deck tend to have firecats or bloodbats or whatever level one spell following them around for weeks. 

Why can’t the card form into the creature? Why can’t that energy blast defeat the enemy? 

The wizard doesn’t really want it to.

Okay, maybe they do want to, or they think they do. 

But in the midst of an argument with a fellow wizard, a friend, and it comes to blows, will that phoenix really cast? Will the cards ever leave their hand as it does in the heat of battle? No.

They won’t forgive themself if they do cast these spells. Their magic is so deeply branded into their heart, mind, and soul that it can disobey orders they truly don’t want to be obeyed.

To be able to cast Judgement, the wizard must truly believe that their opponent deserves to be judged purely by magic, that damage and true fairness shall be carried out by the creature summoned.

To be able to cast the healing, soothing spells, a wizard must want to save an ally, a friend in arms. It’s so telling when a magic user shows their true colors when their healing magic fails to respond to their calls. 

It could be the war drums, the frantic beats of magical music that is so deeply embedded in these worlds that it haunts their nightmares. It could be the pained sounds of those they’ve sworn to protect. Deep rage, or the same level of sorrow could make a wizard’s spell more powerful than they’ve ever imagined. 

But it could be the doubt, the distrust and true feelings. It could be what makes their steps so heavy for one so seemingly young and carefree that makes their spell weak.  
The intent must be there, or they could be defeated, and leave nothing behind but a deck full of spells that their hands shall never cast again. The cards will scatter just as their blood does, knowledge and memories of those happier times when they fought by their friends’ sides, all gone. The light will leave their eyes and the magic will flee from their soul. 

Spread eagle, disfigured from hateful spells in their death. Their enemies will mock their ineptitude, how they couldn’t even cast a spell- something all wizards should be able to do.

Left to be found (or not) with hands full of cards and a heart empty of beats, of life to give.


End file.
